Active Member

Had my Pioneer PDP505XDE calibrated today by Gordan. Was cautious as it's expensive but after reading some posts on here, I took the chance. The difference made is MASSIVE. There is a huge improvement in the colours and sharpness of images. Realised now that to spend so much on a plasma and not have this done would be criminal.

Guest

hi,- calibration- how is this operation done.
is it expensive and is it really worth it, ive heard you can get a disc to substitute this, are they any good.
if my viera can be made better, im interested.

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You cna use a disc to do basic settings of black and white level and colour, sharpness. Advanced calibration uses specialist tools to measure certain parameters of the display and to then set the sources and display up optimally for replay of video images. You can read a bit more about it here.

Guest

hi thanks for the info, results look impressive, ive got a pe37 viera which pic is very good, colours good, not like the pic on the left, of the link u gave me.
so pic can be improved even more, obviously you have seen the viera i have in action, can it be improved.
why dont the makers of these panels do calibration before selling them.
also how much we talking about here.
thanks.

Guest

Gordon charges a flat 250 plus any travelling expenses if its a visit to only you - but he does do this in blocks so you may be able to get a group thing going wiv others to save on petrol. Piers also does it around this price.

Gordon did mine and also set up my Lumagen properly too last week - and it truly is incredble what magic he works. Astounding PQ now. And it was pretty amazing wivout ISF....

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The manufacturers do 'calibrate' the TV's and Displays before they leave the factory - the problem being they 'calibrate' them to scream out 'BUY ME' when you see a bank of 20 TV's lined up in a very highly lit showroom; use those same settings at home and your likely to require sunglasses.

Calibration also takes into account your source kit - the best TV's and Displays have per input and per signal (PAL/NTSC/Interlaced/Progressive etc) memories; your not calibrating a global set-up your making allowances for each source and signal type being different.

With a lot of info and practice you can use your eye plus some reference discs to get close with your DVD player - everything else is at best a guestimate.

If budget dictates use a set up disc as a minimal requirement - after that its call in the professionals; though worth noting we have a new 'half way house' Prosumer Calibration device on the way; though for best results you wont replace a 'time served' specialist plus Broadcast set up tools.

Guest

cheers for that. But you need to purchase those funky colour analysers and light capture thingys dat look like a dead mouse dont ya to be truly able to do proper ISF wivout expert help????? I doubt it wil ever happen!

Guest

Of ocurse if any of us mortals can use the half way house solution it would be a great start until peeps could or would want to use the techies.

I must say an A/B comparison is amazing and shows what a big difference ISF can make - and I dont buy the view that just cos the Fujitsu is so good, it dont need ISF as much - quite the reverse i would think??

Active Member

Just as a race mechanic can tune a Ferrari he can also get a Fiesta to go a bit faster - ISF gives a substantial improvement across the board but with the top end screens there is more that can be adjusted and as you know when done right it shows. There isn't much that I can do with a Tiny, but even they can be improved!

Guest

for the best pics of "before and after" isf, go to Gordon's site (convergent av)and tel me you dont see a massive difference! Visit Piers' site at homecinemaengineering.com where he has links to some fabulous articles on ISFing. Check out the ISF site itself too for technical stuff.

No point in us putting up pics from users as they dont look right uplaoded anyway..and ISF is tailored to your own lighting environment!

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If you do a search of the forum for posted some quick pre post images of a pIONEER xde a whle back. I may have a few others knockng aorund.....I am going to change the images and charts on the site soon to show how newer devices behave....

Active Member

Well, Gordon (the top bloke) has just left the building, so to speak. I'm now all ISF'd up. I have a PWD6 and Lumagen HDP. The difference is quite remarkable. Every effect and blemish that was present is now gone. 'Basic' settings which were above my ability to set, are all true. The system is set up for all the rest of my kit. Colours are more vibrant, but most noticable, for me anyway, is the clarity and sharpness. One very nicely setup system, one very happy customer.

If I'd seen my plasma on purchase, side by side with my plasma now, I'd have paid twice the difference of an ISF callibration extra for it. That's how much better it looks.

Active Member

Is there an optimum momentt for ISF calibration? I mean I know you should wait for 100 hours, but if I is skint can I wait for say 600 hours, or will I lose the moment? Also what parts of the country are Piers and Gordon in (from the travelling expenses point of view?).

Active Member

The earlier in the screen's life you have it calibrated the more time you will have to enjoy the benefit. Some panels / TVs suffer from screen burn and shouldn't be run at optimal PQ settings for the first 100 / 200 hours and as Gordon has posted previously, being the thoroughly decent guy that he is, if a screen is going to fail it will more than likely do so in the first 100 / 200 hours, so have it calibrated after that to avoid having to pay twice for the same service.

Some of the latest panels / TVs are showing virtually zero signs of screen burn even when new out of the box and I would have no qualms about calibrating them on day one provided the customer accepted G's warning about the risk of having bought a duff panel.

Gordon is in south Scotland, I am in Shropshire but that is immaterial - we are both highly mobile - ask my car dealer's service dept. - they just love me!!

Active Member

I think general concensus is to allow 200 hours to pasds to let it all settle down. As for a max ? Wouldn't have thought so.

My impression is that Piers (Staffs ?) will be more accomodating if you have a timetable to work to, but charges travel costs. Gordon (south east ?) tends to group people together so you may have to wait for his convenience, but travel costs kind of get lost in the mix. Apologies for any inaccuracies guys.

I haven't heard a bad word said about either of them, or their work. Happy customers all round.

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I was in Surrey Wednesday, Essex Thursday, Oxfordshire Friday, Central London then Surrey Saturday, Berkshire then Cardiff Sunday, Bristol today.......I get around.....My car has een been serviced in southern England and Glasgow....I'm in Yorkshire right now........

Indeed I have a flat fee. No travel....I may live in Scotland but my customers are all over the UK. Convergent is currently looking for premises in M25 catchement area.....it makes sense.....I seem to spend so long down here these days!